Each problem must be taken by itself, and you have to leave emotion out of it.  Be stern with yourself.  Don’t pamper yourself.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Reilly’s Luck)

    “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.”
              –Proverbs 12:1 (NKJV)
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It was 159 years ago, on this day in 1860 that a daring enterprise began.  The trip consisted of speed and endurance for it was a distance of 1,840 miles and was to be covered in 10 days.  It was the Pony Express.  Riders, young men, would have to ride their horses at top speed, night and day, and changed every ten to twenty miles.  These riders would have to maintain a strict schedule in all kinds of weather.
    These young men were paid well for the time period and the pay was according to the terrain that must be traveled–$100 to $150 per month.  “Young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over eighteen,” were wanted – so went the advertising posters.  It continued with a warning, “willing to risk death daily.  Orphans preferred.”  They were given one item by their employers which they could carry, a Bible.  They were to outrun any person so they would not need the weight of a gun.  Then there was the oath!

         “I [name], do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while I am an employee of Russell, Majors & Waddell, I will, under no circumstances, use profane language; that I will drink no intoxicating liquors; that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employees of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win the confidence of my employer.  So help me God.”
               –Pony Express Pledge

“Riders who violated this oath could expect to be terminated, with the loss of back pay.”  Were these young men saints? No, but they understood ethics, duty, and loyalty.  How many companies would even dare have an oath like that today?  Think of the lawsuits when someone was terminated in this time period. It’s not that we have become more complex; it is more like we have become more confused.  Morality has changed, no, the concept of morality has changed.  God’s truth; God’s morals are always the same.
    “Profane language”, is all around.  People say that’s just the way people talk today.  Whenever a person looks on Facebook, it seems that half of the pictures show a person holding some kind of alcoholic drink.  Think about it; they could not be an employee of the Pony Express.  The person understood the value and concept of loyalty and fulfilling their duties.  They may not have been a Christian, but people in times past had a concept of God and the Bible.  Sadly, it seems today that the more confusion in morals the better.
    I read about this new gender the other day, “theybe”.  Can you imagine a snowflake, someone from Generation Z (or even a Millennial) one of those cupcakes applying to be a rider with the Pony Express? The interview process would be quite interesting, and then when it came time to take the oath there would be a massive commotion.  “God!” they would exclaim! The problem is that people do not realize that they need the help of the Lord in times of distress and tribulation.  No wonder the suicide rate in increasing, people are not looking to the Lord for direction.  They have put Him out of the picture.
    Lord help us in our present state of confusion; help us in our present state of mind.

God’s plan.  Man sees only what lies behind him.  God sees what lies ahead.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (After the Bugles)

    “You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
              –James 5:8 (NKJV)
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One of the greatest tricks of the devil is to get the Church to believe it should be passive.  It was Dorothy Sayers who said that we have done a wonderful job declawing the Lion of Judah.  There is a time for pacifism–a time to turn the other cheek–but there is also the time to stand, put on the armor of God, and to stand even firmer–fight!  Look this week at Psalm 18:30-36 (HCSB).

    30 – God—His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure.  He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
    31 – For who is God besides Yahweh? And who is a rock? Only our God.
    32 – God—He clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.
    33 – He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.
    34 – He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
    35 – You have given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your humility exalts me.
    36 – You widen a place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.

We have been told recently by church leadership not to bother with the Old Testament.  That it no longer matters; maybe that is why the Church is so anemic and malnourished, we are not eating a complete, nutritional diet of God’s complete, inspired, authoritative Word.  People, don’t be duped; don’t be deceived, misled, or manipulated by the enemy.  Listen!  We are in a battle!  A very real battle that will determine whether you spend eternity, heaven or hell.
    You can try to fight this battle in your own strength and you will lose.  You must be trained by the Lord, follow His instructions and commands.  Martin Luther said, “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.”  We are to take refuge in Him.  Perhaps when the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write about the armor of God in Ephesians, Paul’s thought went to this portion of the psalms.  God clothes us–with His armor.  He makes our feet secure–stand and after done all to stand.
    Look at verse 34, He is our supreme Drill Instructor.  Day in, day out, He is training us to fight the enemy of our souls which is against the enemy–the world.  He teaches us how to use weapons against the enemy; to know when to use the right one and how to use it in every situation.  When God trains us we can be confident in His training, His leading, His strategy and tactics, and His weapons.
    This portion ends by us recognizing where we step.  We are to step of the place that He has prepared.  He is our foundation.  “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand…”  Standing on a firm foundation our legs do not weaken or slip.  Do not compromise or become complacent for you are indeed in a battle.  Know and use your weapons and stand firm letting Him hold you.

         “Stand then in His great might, with all His strength endued,
          And take to arm you for the fight the panoply of God;
          That having all things done, and all your conflicts passed,
          You may o’ercome through Christ alone and stand entire at last.”
                       –Charles Wesley

Might not such love of horses and the open range, solitude, freedom, the hard fare and toil, the kinship with nature—might not these develop character to noble ends?”
              –Zane Grey  (Nevada)

    “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.”
              –Isaiah 35:1 (NKJV)
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I’ve seen a few studies over the past decade that show what people think about church.  The thing that comes out on top in the recent years is the idea of fellowship.  Think of that for a moment–the number one reason for the church is fellowship.  I read a few weeks back where Millennials think that the church should not try to evangelize.  Hmmm, seems to me that was the Great Commission.  These same people say it’s okay if the person doesn’t already belong to some recognized religion:  Islam, Hindu, etc.
    Now, don’t get me wrong.  Fellowship is important.  But have you listened to many of the prayers during fellowship groups?  More like a way to get the gossip out of your system.  Maybe putting it this way would be better–there is fellowship and there are social groups.  It is hard for me to fathom how people want to live in places like New York City.  I have wanted and waited most of my life to finally get out of the city and into the “wilderness.”  That’s where the jobs are, but that’s also where the people are.  I read yesterday that man is afraid of the sea, or the desert, or the mountains.  Because they tend to turn man to thinking.  Thinking about life, about God, and about self.  Man, overall, does not like to be alone, therefore, the fellowship.
    Jacob didn’t like to be alone.  George Matheson said this of Jacob, “He was afraid of Jacob’s angel; he feared to wrestle with his own conscience; he dreaded the spectre of the past; he shrank from the memory of his yesterday; he trembled to meet Esau.  And when he was forced to go into the wilderness, it was awful to him.”  It is fear that makes one dread to be alone.  Silly as it seems, people are afraid of the country and the darkness.  When we were building our house last year the man delivering the windows would not stay until we arrived to help him unload them.  He said, “there are wild animals out here.”  
    Man fears loneliness and solitude.  Why?  Because man starts to think about who he is.  He starts to look inside and dwell upon his character–the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of him.  There is no one around for him to chuckle and laugh off the thought with.  There is not the crowd and the noise; he is alone.  Possibly the greatest fear of the solitude is that man might find God; or rather, God might find him.  God does not seek us out with the crowd.  Oh, He might work and bless a group of worshipers, but He seeks the individual.  
    Don’t think that solitude is only in the desert or on the mountainside.  No, one can be vastly alone in their room at night, or on a sick-bed.  Alone, with their thoughts, and here comes God.  Man can even hide in a crowd.  He doesn’t care for the fellowship, but finds it is a place to hide.  Look at the many encounters with people that Jesus had in this manner.
    It was a custom for Jesus to go out to a solitary place to spend time with His Father.  In this solitude He found physical, mental, and spiritual strength.  And that last great time of solitude was with His disciples–Gethsemane.  Don’t be afraid of the solitude, no matter where you are and in what condition you find yourself, in fact, welcome the chance to get alone with the Lord.  “Thou hast blest me in my solitude.  I halted one day upon my thigh.  I could not run with the crowd; I could not keep up with the multitude.  I lagged behind; I missed my chance in the race; I was left alone.  I was sad; I was sore at heart; I murmured.  But I was wrong.  That hour of loneliness has been my most crowded hour.  It has been crowded with Thy blessings; it has been loaded with Thy benefits…” (Matheson)  Let God “crowd” you with His love.   
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This day in the Texas Revolution (through the first part of April):  Santa Anna departs San Antonio de Bexar and leaves General Andrade in command with a 1000 troops.

We just didn’t have much give-up in us.  We always kept plugging away.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (The Lonely Men)

    “So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees.”
              –Hebrews 12:12 (AMPC)
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Friend, what type of wilderness have you found yourself in today?  Are you weak, struggling, wondering?  Remember, there is, like the words of the song:

         “One more river to cross,
          One more mountain to climb,
          One more valley that I got to go through…”
                 –Dottie Rambo

Or maybe you are traveling down that long, lonesome highway.  We get tired, no matter what type of journey and wilderness we are traveling through.  Weariness comes our way, and we wonder if we can lift the tired feet one more step.  The drudgery of life may be getting to you; tired of the same old thing.  Over and over again life seems to come at you.  There are two keys to overcoming.  The first is–you can take one more step.  Second, you must trust in the Lord.  Even in the midst of fatigue, in the midst of the wearisome travel, trust in the Lord.  
    Take a moment, take a deep sigh, and then think of the reasons why you want to quit.  Why are you weary?  Why are you discouraged and despondent?  Are there any survival skills you have neglected, especially spiritual?  Maybe you’re not into the Word enough.  Perhaps your prayer life has dwindled.
    Not all wilderness travels are dry, but the wilderness is often associated with the wasteland.  Many times when we find ourselves in the wilderness, it is because our souls are dry, yearning for the cool water of the Spirit to quench our thirst, to bathe us.  Many people are like those being led by Moses.  Their lives are dependent upon the water holes; from one water hole to the next.  Water is essential for life.  If not following the Guide, they may start to wander; they may find themselves lost.
    It is not hard to get lost in a strange region.  I have always been amazed how those that lived in this land during those hard-fought pioneer days moved around without maps and found their way.  But for everyone who was able to do that, there was one poor soul lost in the wasteland.  When this happens one of the most important things to do is look for landmarks.  Get them pinpointed in your mind and do not stray from them.  To be lost is a frightful thing.  The landmarks are there to guide you to the next water hole; those areas of rest and refreshment.
    Keep moving; now is not the time to stall out on your journey.  Lift your tired feet, move those fatigued legs and keep going one step after another.  Look up to find the landmarks that point the way to water.  “Landmarks!” you cry, “I don’t see the landmarks!”  Hopefully, you are holding a Bible in your hands as you read this.  In that Bible there are landmarks to guide you through the wilderness that may appear in your life.  Clear your mind from listening to false reports and blind trails and remember the promises that God has given you.  Add those promises to your prayers.
    Learning how to travel is of tremendous importance to the stranger in the desert wilderness.  The oppressive sun is always a threat.  The sometimes overwhelming desire just to stop the wandering, to lie down and quit.  No!  Keep plodding forward toward the distant peaks, those landmarks.  The peak is a guide; on the way you’ll find water.  You’ll make it if you don’t quit!
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Today in the Texas Revolution:  Houston orders Martin, Baker, and Seguin to guard his retreat delaying Santa Anna’s army from crossing the Brazos River.